A Different Kind of War
by Magsforever
Summary: Recovery is never easy, especially when new rules take away one's sense of freedom. Fred and Hermione attempt to recover while navigating the dangerous waters of a fledgling relationship.
1. Chapter 1

The Burrow was full of noise that Sunday morning. It had been six month since the battle of Hogwarts and Fred was finally coming home from St. Mungo's. Molly and George had gone to the hospital before first light in order to help arrange things to bring him home. After the wall collapsed they had all thought Fred would never light up a room again, but somehow, thanks to a certain curly haired witch, he managed to hold on until they got to Mungo's. He had been healing nicely thus far and had been walking again for about two months. The media itches agreed that he could return home but only if he stayed in his family home for at least the six following months to ensure someone was always there to help take care of him.

While Molly and George were helping Fred to the exit, the rest of the Wesley's were busy preparing breakfast. They wanted everyone to feel relaxed since the final red-head was finally returning home. Arthur was helping Ginny and Ron cook the bacon while Percy, Bill, and Charlie set the table. Harry and Hermione joined them making toast and coffee for everyone. It was a small breakfast but Molly usually handled the harder aspects of the family meal.

Once the table was set the entire family sat down together, waiting for the final three members. They did not have to wait long as the floo sounded and there was a small crash from the living room. George came into the kitchen smiling widely and completely covered in ash. Behind him Fred and only followed, much cleaner than the first boy. Molly smiled as she took her place next to Arthur at the head of the table. Finally, her entire family was together.

"Bill, where is Fleur?" Bill smiled at his mother, he was pleased with ow close the two witches had grown over the past year, it was the one good thing that had come out of the war in his opinion.

"I am 'ere," came her gentle voice. She was still in the earl stages of her pregnancy but unfortunately morning sickness had started to take its toll upon her. She settled in next to Bill and the entire family started talking at once. It was as though there had been no chance from nearly six years ago when Ron, Fred, and George stole the car. Molly smiled content looking at her large family. Even Fred, who had been slightly quieter since the events at Hogwarts was speaking animatedly to Hermione about a new product he had thought of for the shop.

"Have you tried using the bat bogey hex as a base?" Hermione asked and Fred's calculating eyes lit up slightly. He knew that she would know exactly what to do to fix the problem. Next to him George smile too, happy to see that Fred was returning to his pre-war mindset.

Arthur stood up at the head of the table, obviously planning on saying something. The room fell silent as he cleared his throat.

"I would just like to say that today has already turned out to be one of the best days of my life. I am so pleased that my entire family is finally under one roof together. Harry and Hermione, that includes the two of you as well. You might not have red hair but you are still Weasleys to me and I hope that has been clear to you since the first time you entered this house." The entire family cheered and Molly wiped away a small tear. Now it was Fred's turn to speak, he did not stand as that was still a struggle for him but instead set off a small fire cracker to draw everyone's attention to him.

'So, I have a few things I wanted to say. First off, Ron I saw you crying that first night at St. mungo's and I will continue to hold that over your head until the day I actually die," Molly glared at him obviously displeased with the route he was taking in his speech. "Secondly, I would like to thank The Boy Who Keeps on Living for killing Voldemort quickly so I could make it to the hospital on time. Finally, I would like to properly thank Hermione here for her quick thinking and her excellent wand work, without you I would not be here right now." At this the room cheered again and Hermione and Ron both turned red.

The rest of breakfast continued uneventfully, with most of the family discussing their jobs and the like. Just as things were wrapping up three ministry owls flew into the room and landed next to Arthur. Between the three there were ten envelopes addressed to Hermione, Harry, Ron, Arthur and Molly, Fred, George, Percy, Charlie, Ginny, and Bill and Fleur. The official seal of the Ministry marked each one.

Arthur and Molly opened their first and read it aloud to the room.

The Ministry of Magic is pleased to announce the Marriage Law

Following years of unrest in the magical community the Ministry has decided to create a law which will allow the wizarding community to recover from the devastating losses associated with the war against He Who Must Not Be Named. In order to do this Wizarding Decree 10673894 states that every witch and wizard must be married by the time they turn twenty years old. This applies to all currently unmarried witches and wizards and there will be a one year grace period where individuals between the ages of twenty and ninety seven must be married or face a sentence in Azkaban of ten years. Any witch or wizard who fails to comply with this law will face a similar sentence. In the following weeks a list of potential matches will be sent to each eligible witch or wizard so they may decide who they will marry.

Sincerely

Kingsley Shackbolt

Minister of Magic

The room erupted as Arthur finished reading his letter. The remaining letters were torn open and contained the dates by which each of the children were to be married by. Bill was the first to speak following the revelation.

"At least you get to choose who you get to marry," he tried to sound optimistic. Molly silenced her oldest with a glare. Harry was holding Ginny's hand trying to comfort her. She was the only one well under the age limit for marriage but Harry was turning twenty in only a few short months. There was a significant chance the two of them would not wind up together after all.

Percy turned to Charlie and George and the three began discussing the situation quietly with one another, they would have to get married swiftly as they were both well over the twenty year age limit. Fred threw his letter onto the table.

"I have an extra six months to get married due to my injuries sustained in battle," was all he said. He caught Hermione's eye and he could see the fear there, Fred wished to comfort her as she had comforted him following his injury. Instead he shrugged at her and looked away, he had a lot of unresolved feelings there, which had only grown the more time he spent alone recovering, but that was something he would focus on at a later time.

The family excused themselves from breakfast but Hermione and Fred hung back. She was still gripping her letter tightly in her hand and he gently touched it, hoping to force her to release her grip.

"Muggleborns are being asked to marry purebloods," she said quietly, causing Fred's heart to drop. Many pure blood families discriminated against muggleborns to begin with, he could only imagine what would happen if one as independent as Hermione was forced to marry in to a family like that.

"The Weasleys are technically purebloods," Fred responded. "Marry Ron before the matches come." Hermione shook her head.

"We're not dating Fred, Ron and I have nothing in common and were simply victims of proximity." Fred felt something loosen on the inside, something that he had not realized he had been holding on to. He felt incredibly hopeful all of the sudden.

"Well he's not the only Weasley," Fred smiled slightly. "Perhaps Percy will marry you and you can have a nice boring life full of bookshelves and parchment." Hermione laughed and met his eyes for the first time. He could see the traces of tears there but did not comment, she was going through a lot and did not need someone else to point that out to her.

"I guess all we can do is sit and wait."


	2. Chapter 2

Molly insisted upon doting on Fred for the remainder of the week. Every time the man even so much as attempted to handle something for himself his mother would quickly appear next to him, telling him to rest before handling whatever he needed herself. While Fred appreciated his mother's concern he found himself growing frustrated with the monotony of simply sitting in the living area while his mother did everything for him. It came as a relief when Molly decided to go into the village on the Thursday afternoon.

"Hermione is going to be here with you all day," Molly told Fred for what he was sure was the thousandth time. He smiled at his mother, hoping to alleviate some of the stress he could tell she was feeling at the prospect of leaving her recovering son home. "The others are out but if you need anything have Hermione handle it for you."

"Yes, mum," Fred mumbled returning to the orders he was working on for the shop. George had done an excellent job with Ron and Lee reopening it in his absence but he longed to return to the store and work on production once again. Molly left the house being careful not to distract her son from his work. She was going into the village to speak to one of the other wizard families who lived there, she was hoping that they would know a way to get at out of this ridiculous law. In the Burrow, Hermione settled herself into one of the overstuffed chairs in front of the fire and started reading Hogwarts: A History once again. After a few hours Fred appeared to notice her presence.

"Are you ready for this arranged marriage thing," he asked her. She shook her head.

"I was researching was to get out of it, basically, you either have to be already married or have a wedding planned to someone in the next two months," she sighed.

"Like I said you should just marry Percy, it would probably save the both of you some trouble," Hermione let out a laugh but Fred could tell she was not actually amused.

"My parents always loved each other so much, I always thought I would wind up like them." Fred decided to leave the subject of marriage and love alone. Instead deciding that it would be better to try and cheer her up.

"Haven't you read that book a million times already," Fred asked and Hermione smiled at him..

"They released a new version after the battle, apparently I'm mentioned." Now it was Fred's turn to laugh.

"I guess that's a silver lining." Hermione shrugged before putting her book down and standing up.

"I'm going to the kitchen, do you need anything?" Fred shook his head. Hermione came back with a glass of water for him anyway.

"I figured you're to stubborn to actually tell me if you need something. Besides if I didn't do something for you I have a feeling your mum would have something to say." Fred thanked her and took the glass. The two sat in silence for a while longer and Fred watched Hermione read her book.

He noticed the details he had not allowed himself to notice in the past. He noticed the way her eyes danced across the pages, hungrily taking in every phrase. He noticed how small her hands were clutching her book close to herself. He noticed how her hair, still frizzy despite her best efforts, had a bright sheen to it. He smiled to himself watching her read before turning back to his work. He could enjoy some distractions but at the end of the day his business was the most important thing to him.

"Do you think my choices are going to be good," Hermione asked after some time had passed and for a moment Fred was confused before he remembered that there was only a few more days until their letters containing their matches. Fred decided to be honest with her.

'I have no clue, I mean they said yours would primarily be pureblood men, so I honestly don't know what to expect for you. I'm really hooping you get a Weasley on there honestly, because then at least we know you'll be safe and not stuck with someone who won't respect yo," Fred sighed. "You''re the only one I'm really worried about, because Harry is going to get Ginny, he saved the wizarding world I'm sure the Ministry is taking his relationship into account. Ron is a git, he'll get some random witch and just be thrilled if she's pretty. Percy and Charlie are both very independent and I doubt that marriage will change that." Hermione nodded.

"I'm scared," she admitted. "I know I can handle myself, but I don't want to marry someone I don't love. What if I get Malfoy," Fred choked on his water.

"Don't even joke about that,: he sputtered. "If he even shows up on your list I'll marry you myself."

"You promise?" Hermione laughed. Fred nodded seriously.

"I promise, if Malfoy is one of your options we will run away together and get married before the letters even finish getting sent out."

"So who do you think you're going to get," Fred shrugged at her. Secretly he was hoping to get Hermione, or not so secretly if you asked George. Fred had been attracted to Hermione since the day he first met her. Part of the reason they never really pranked her was because he did not want to upset the girl. George had teased him mercilessly when they were younger about his crush.

Going out with Angelina had been a good distraction for his feelings, but eventually they realized it was not going to work out for them. Fred had a bit of a mean streak that Angelina just could not stand. Part of him believed she should be with George, he was the nicer twin after all.

"I know who I don't want," Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. "I don't want to match a Slytherin." Hermione tisked at him.

"They're not all bad," she started but Fred cut her off.

"Sorry but too many are related to death eaters for me to be comfortable. I don't want another wall dropped on me."

Molly walked into the Burrow then and heard the end of their conversation. She was pleased to see that Fred had found someone to open up to, but the next sentence she heard shocked her and she nearly dropped her shopping.

"Fred, if you get matched with a Slytherin I will marry you, I worked too hard to keep you alive for you to get another wall dropped on you." Molly heard her son laugh at this.

"Well, Miss. Granger, I guess we have a deal. You better start planning that wedding, I want my special day to be spectacular."


End file.
